Sunderland keeper Thomas S?rensen insists he owes it to Peter Reid to honour the remaining two years of his contract at the Stadium of Light.

And the Danish international - who has caught the eye of some of Europe's superpowers this season - is confident that he can still achieve his lofty ambitions in the game without having to quit Wearside in the summer.

S?rensen will head to Elland Road tomorrow desperate to help the Black Cats secure the three points which will virtually guarantee the club's place in the top flight for a fourth successive campaign.

And, although Sunderland's fight against relegation has come as a major disappointment after back-to-back seventh place finishes in the Premiership, the 25-year-old remains adamant that reports of him moving on after the World Cup are simply not true. "I am staying," said the former Odense ace, who insists that comments made in the Danish media were misinterpreted in this country.

"I signed a four-year contract a couple of years ago and I still have two years left - I am definitely wanting to honour that contract.

"I've said all along that I'm happy here, I can see great things coming and I want to be part of it. Things have been written that have not been true."

S?rensen arrived on Wearside in 1998 as one of Scandinavia's top young prospects. Four years on, he's preparing to travel to this summer's World Cup finals as Denmark's number one having established himself as one of the most highly- regarded goalkeepers in the Premiership.

It has been a remarkable success story for both player and club. And S?rensen insists that the trust placed in him by the Black Cats' boss since his arrival in England is the reason why he will not be demanding a move in the summer.

"Peter Reid took a chance on me because I was fairly unknown," said the Dane, who replaced Lionel Perez in the aftermath of Sunderland's play-off final defeat against Charlton at Wembley.

"It was a pressure season for Sunderland. We had to go up after losing the play-off final and it was a gamble to rely on a new keeper - a young and unproven one at that.

"I am just glad I had the chance to prove I was good enough. Sunderland have been fantastic for all the years I have been here and I owe so much to the club."

S?rensen makes no secret of the fact that he wants to play in Europe and be in a position to challenge for silverware. But the #500,000 bargain signing is confident the Black Cats will be back on track next term following the disappointment of the last 12 months.

"I do not think it's a secret that this season has been disappointing, it has been disappointing for all the players," he said last night. "We wanted to be in the European places but we are fighting relegation.

"That is an experience but it's an experience I don't want to face every season. I am sure Sunderland won't face that next season, we will learn from this and next year we will be back in the top-half.

"It's difficult for us to be in the top four or five because they are really big clubs spending really big money. For us, to get into Europe has to be the aim again next season and I think we have a great chance.

"We have a lot of good players - but this season we just haven't gelled as well as we have in previous years. We have to find a way to do that next year, that's what we will be working towards. I think it's a challenge for everyone and we are definitely up for it."

Securing a place in the Premiership remains the main priority, with the club still just five points clear of the relegation zone having won just three times since Boxing Day.

But, after beating Leicester 2-1 at the Stadium of Light on Easter Monday, S?rensen is confident safety will be achieved soon - even with Leeds and Liverpool to face in their next two games. "We've had a tough time but the win against Leicester was so important to us," he added. "Realistically, three points between now and the end of the season should make us safe.

"You never know though, so we have to get the points. Leeds will be a tough game for us but it would be nice to get our first Premiership points down there.

"I still think we can get a lot better. We need to make sure we take our chances at Leeds. A goal will unsettle them and give us a bit more confidence."